


it came upon a midnight clear.

by porcelainsimplicity



Series: christmas stories [23]
Category: X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: Advent Challenge, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Christmas, M/M, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-20
Updated: 2018-12-20
Packaged: 2019-09-23 07:50:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17076311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/porcelainsimplicity/pseuds/porcelainsimplicity
Summary: It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of oldFrom angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of goldPeace on the earth, goodwill to men, from heaven's all gracious kingThe world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels singor:  It's Christmas Eve.  Charles gets the kids to bed while Erik prepares for Christmas morning, but Erik has something to say to Charles that just can't wait till morning.





	it came upon a midnight clear.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Scarlett_Phoenix](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scarlett_Phoenix/gifts).



> Day 20 Prompt: “It came upon a midnight clear. But it wasn’t what I expected.”  
> Day 20 Title Song: It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

“But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,” Charles read. “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

Nina beamed at him as Charles closed the book. “Thank you for reading to us, Charles.”

“You're welcome, sweetheart,” Charles said, turning to look at Wanda and Peter. “Now, you know what the end of the story means. It's time to go to bed.”

“Do we have to?” Peter whined. “I want to see Santa Claus.”

“You've already been allowed to stay up way past your bedtime. And Santa Claus isn't going to come if you're awake,” Charles pointed out. “If you're awake, that means no presents in the morning.”

Peter pouted and Wanda elbowed him in the ribs. “I am not letting you cost us our presents because you're staying up.”

“Yeah, Peter,” Nina chimed in. “I'll be mad at you forever if you do that. I want Santa to come!”

“Fine,” Peter said, shaking his head. “But one of these days I'm going to meet Santa Claus.”

“You already have,” Wanda said, rolling her eyes. “He was at the mall last week.”

“Whatever,” Peter said. “Let's go to bed.”

“That's the spirit,” Charles said, tucking the blankets around Nina before standing up. “Goodnight, Nina.”

“Goodnight, Charles,” Nina said, grabbing her stuffed reindeer and closing her eyes. 

Charles turned off the lamp and motioned for Peter and Wanda to follow him. Once they were out in the hall, Charles closed the door to Nina's room and walked with them down to Peter's room. When they were all inside, Charles turned to them with a smile on his face. “Thank you for doing that.”

“Hey, I'm not about to ruin the excitement for Nina,” Peter said, shaking his head. “I remember how excited I used to be for Santa to come.”

“Me too,” Wanda chimed in. “She's too young to have that ruined for her.”

“And I appreciate that greatly,” Charles said, pulling them into his arms. “So does your father.”

“You should go help him,” Wanda said, smiling at him as she pulled back. “I know he's going to go all out for her.”

“Of course he is,” Peter said, walking around to his desk. “He always used to go all out for us too.”

“Promise me you're heading to bed and won't come downstairs snooping,” Charles said seriously.

“I am going to bed,” Wanda said. “I don't know what he's doing.”

“I'm going to bed too,” Peter said, rolling his eyes. “I'm not even about to chance waking Nina up. She'll kill me after that act in her room if she thinks I'm awake.”

“Then I will go help your father,” Charles said, making his way to the door.

“Charles?” Wanda called out before he reached it, causing him to turn around. “I'm really glad you're here with us this year. You're here all the time but you've never been here at Christmas before. I'm happy you are.”

Charles grinned at her. “Thank you, Wanda. It means a lot for me to be here. I'm glad I get to experience this with all of you.”

“Goodnight, Charles,” Wanda said.

“Goodnight, Wanda,” Charles answered. “Goodnight, Peter.”

“Night, Charles!” Peter called out as Charles walked out of the room. 

Charles made his way downstairs and found Erik in the kitchen, and he leaned up against the doorframe and watched as Erik poured a bunch of flour into a bowl, then became confused when he poured an entire bottle of pepper into it. “What are you doing?”

Erik looked behind him and smiled when he saw Charles standing there. “I'm making soot.”

“You're making soot.”

“Yeah,” Erik said, turning back to the bowl. “It's a flour and pepper mixture that makes it look like soot. Then I dip a boot in it and make footprints on the fireplace and the carpet around the tree to make it look like Santa has been here.”

Charles walked up behind him and wrapped his arms around Erik's waist, pressing a kiss to the back of his neck. “That's adorable.”

“It's something my father used to do for me,” Erik said softly. “I enjoy doing it for the kids, even if the time is coming soon when none of them believe in Santa anymore.”

“I hope you still do it anyway,” Charles said softly. “I think it's very sweet.”

“I might,” Erik said, turning around in the embrace and kissing Charles softly. “I'm so glad you're here this year.”

“I'm glad I'm here too,” Charles said, smiling at him. “Are we going to be awake all night?”

“It's easier to be,” Erik said, turning back to his bowl. “It's already almost midnight and Nina will be awake at five, most likely. Besides, this is going to take awhile.”

“Why would this take awhile?”

“Because we haven't even started on outside yet.”

Charles reached out and grabbed Erik's arm. “Outside?”

“Yes,” Erik said, looking back at him. “She'll be expecting the reindeer tracks.”

Charles gave him a strange look. “Shouldn't those be on the roof?”

“Did I ever say that they wouldn't be?”

Charles sighed heavily. “You're going to go get on the roof in the middle of the night to make reindeer tracks for your daughter?”

“Kind of,” Erik said, abandoning the bowl and grabbing Charles by the hand, pulling him towards the door that led into the garage. “Let me show you.”

“Erik, I'm starting to think that what I found sweet a few minutes ago has turned into borderline insane.”

“Relax, Charles. I know what I'm doing.”

They went into the garage and Erik let go of Charles's hand, searching through a bunch of tools before emerging with something that looked homemade and very old. “What is that?”

“This,” Erik said, beaming, “is how we make reindeer tracks. My father rigged it up and then he gave it to me when the twins were born.”

“It looks like it's going to fall apart at any moment.”

“I know,” Erik said, shaking his head. “I need to take it somewhere and get them to weld it back together. Come on, let's get our coats and go make reindeer tracks.”

“I'm going outside with you?”

“Yes,” Erik said, walking over to Charles. “Please? Then we'll come inside and make the footprints.”

Charles stared at Erik for a moment before nodding. “Alright.”

Erik grinned at him and then they went back into the house, putting their coats, gloves, and scarves on before slipping out of the front door as quietly as possible and heading over towards where the chimney was. Charles just shook his head when Erik started eyeballing where to put the tracks. “You aren't going to go get a ladder and get on the roof, are you?”

“No, no,” Erik said, reaching out and planting the tool into the snow, holding it there for a moment before pulling it away. He inspected the mark before doing the same thing close to it. “Just on the ground in front of the chimney and then down to the front of the yard.”

“And why are you doing this?”

“Because it's a family tradition. It makes me think of my parents and how much they would have loved to see my family the way it is now. They would have been a bit confused about you at first, I think, but they would have grown to love you the way that I do. I have complete faith in that.”

Charles smiled. “I'm glad that you think so.”

Erik suddenly paused in what he was doing, leaving the tool planted in the snow before walking over to Charles and pulling him into his arms. “Do you remember the night we met?”

“I don't think I'll ever forget that night,” Charles laughed. “You saved me from the date from hell.”

“It came upon a midnight clear. But it wasn't what I expected,” Erik murmured, smiling at him.

“We're describing it with Christmas songs now?” 

“It was three days before Christmas, Charles. Indulge me.”

“Of course,” Charles said, smiling. “Proceed.”

“I was only in that bar because I needed a break from the kids. They were driving me absolutely insane because it was so close to Christmas, and the twins still believed then, and I could not get my mind off anything. I was heading home when I saw the two of you in the parking lot, and I knew I had to intervene.”

“My knight in shining armor,” Charles said. “I will always be grateful for that.”

“Every moment I've spent with you since then has felt so unbelievably right that I never want it to end,” Erik said, taking a deep breath. “So I think it should never end.”

“I agree that everything has felt so right, Erik. I can't even imagine it feeling this way with anyone else."

“I don't want there to ever be anyone else,” Erik said, taking another deep breath. “So maybe we should make it so there is no one else.”

Charles just rolled his eyes. “Erik, you know there is no one else. I would never do that to you.”

“You're not understanding what I'm saying,” Erik said, tightening his grip on Charles. “I want to make sure there is never anyone else. I want to go down to the courthouse and say some vows and then put a shiny ring on your finger and wear a matching one on mine. I want this to never end.”

Charles stared at Erik for a few moments, blinking his eyes rapidly. “What?”

“I want to marry you, Charles,” Erik said softly. “This is so not how I planned to do this but the moment felt right and I ju—” 

Charles cut Erik off with a deep kiss and Erik grinned into it. They kissed till they were breathless and Charles rushed the words out when they broke apart. “I've never wanted anything more in my life. I just thought that because of your past relationships that you never would.”

“No, darling,” Erik said, bringing a hand up to caress Charles's face. “I've always known I was just waiting for the right one to come along. And you are definitely the right one.”

Charles pulled Erik into another kiss before they were illuminated by light coming from one of the upstairs windows. They both looked up at it before recognizing that it was Nina's room.

“I'll deal with Nina, you finish making the reindeer tracks?” Charles offered.

“Deal,” Erik said, diving in for a quick kiss before walking back towards the chimney. “But not a word about this. I want to tell them tomorrow after they open presents.”

Charles grinned. “I can agree to that.”


End file.
